Everyone has his or her favourite exercises when it comes to working out. However, when 98% of people do not achieve the results they want from their efforts in the gym, we need to look at what is actually being done.

Everybody seems to have some go-to dieting rules when trying to lose unwanted pounds. You’ve probably heard all sorts of silly rules, maybe even followed them at some point. Let’s weigh up a few common diet rules and see if there is any truth in them. Most commonly held beliefs about dieting won’t help you lose weight or make dieting any easier.

You have most likely heard of body-type categories before. The most common names are ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph. We can also go further and define your type based on fuel as a muscle, mixed or sugar burner. Body types can also be categorised through hormones via being an adrenal, pituitary, thyroid or gonad type. All these different names discuss the same three to four body types.

Last month for western New Year I discussed four key components of how to make the best start to your health and fitness efforts. Two New Years allows a double opportunity to start 2016 in the most positive way possible. If you haven’t kick started your efforts yet, the Lunar New Year provides a second chance.

An expat in Vietnam, Singapore or China gets the opportunity for two new beginnings each year — the western New Year and Tet or the Chinese New Year. However, year after year the vast majority of people who attempt self-directed health and fitness programmes fail.

It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that the end of the year will soon be upon us. The main event, as UFC fight announcer Bruce Buffer might call it, is closing in fast. As I think about the holiday season festivities, madness and socializing I hear Bruce’s distinct voice screaming his catch phrase… “Iiiiiiiiits tiiiiiime!!”

Six pack abs are a dream many have. Yet obtaining the ability to wash your clothes over the speed bumps in your stomach is an objective many fail to achieve. No matter how much you train your abs, the truth is simply that if your diet sucks and your body fat level is too high you will not have visible abs.